Lug strap holder



Nov. 30, 1937. H. SHEALY LUG STRAP HOLDER Filed July 28, 1936 HaywardShady GHOWMJ Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 2Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in looms, more especially inholders for the lug straps of the picker sticks therein, and its objectsare as follows:

First, to provide a lug strap holder for loom picker sticks whichenables the lug strap to work more freely than do other known holders,eliminates the need for making screw or other holes in the picker stickfor its attachment and, consequently, prevents the picker stick fromsplitting because of avoiding weakening it.

Second, to apply the clamp casting to the picker stick below the lugstrap so that the top of the casting, which is arched for the purpose,can afford an enduring support and bearing for the lug strap.

Third, to provide said clamp casting with at least onehole into which aportion of the retainer and buffer strap bulges when the U-clip is drawnup tightly, thereby to form a key which aids in keeping said strap fromslipping.

Fourth, to make the clamp in the form of a forked casting which, becauseof this form, is fitted against three sides of the picker stick, theU-clip and its saddle covering the fourth side, all below the center ofgravity of the stick, the arrangement thus made giving the picker sticksuch balance that the stick can be driven to perform its pick with aminimum of power.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. picker stick showing the improved lugstrap holder applied.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of said holder, a portion of the pickerstick being shown.

Figure 3 is a partially sectional and elevational view, especiallyillustrating how a portion of the retainer of buifer strap bulges intothe hole in the clamp casting.

It is common knowledge that picker sticks by which the shuttles arethrown back and forth along the race plate in a loom, will break uponoccasion because of the heavy duty that they are required to perform.This breaking or splitting is due, in a large measure, to the fact thatthe picker sticks are weakened by the screw or other holes which aremade necessary by the prevailing types of lug strap holders. One of thepurposes of the invention is to avoid the necessity of making any holein the picker stick for the purpose of attaching the lug strap holder.One of the main causes of the picker stick breaking or splitting, isthereby eliminated.

In the drawing, l designates a picker stick of any known type. This isgenerally made of straight-grained hard wood. The only hole that it hasis designated 2, and this is for the purpose of attaching the strap (notshown) of a parallel-motion device with which the invention has noconcern.

The lug strap 3 is of any known kind, and it goes around'the pickerstick in the form of a loop, the matching holes 4 in its free endsconstituting the place of connection of what is known as a lug stick(not shown) that extends inwardly of the loom and is ultimately actuatedby the cam of the picking motion or some equivalent thereof.

The invention comprises a holder generally designated 5. This consistsof a clamp casting 6 which is forked at I so as to provide two arms 8.These fit against the sides of the picker stick I when the latteroccupies the fork, the face portion 9 of the casting G then lyingadjacent to the front face of the picker stick. The arms 8 are connectedwith the face portion 9 by braces I0. The metal comprising the arms 8and braces l0 could be made solid, but it is more desirable to have thehollow places shown, and to thus define the braces because thisarrangement avoids making the casting objectionably heavy and does notsacrifice any mechanical strength.

While on the point of mentioning the weight of the casting, one of thepurposes of the invention is to apply the casting to the picker stickbelow the center of gravity of the stick. The forks and face portion ofthe casting 6 hug three sides of the stick as closely as possible, theU- clip saddle hugging the fourth side. This brings all of the metalvery close to the picker stick so that the latter is given a finebalance which enables it to be worked very efficiently.

The previously mentioned saddle now designated l I, has a crotch inwhich the U-portion of a clip 12 is seated. The ends of the latter gothrough appropriately placed holes in the casting 6, coming out in frontof the face portion 9 where nuts l3 are screwed on to the threads. Whenthe latter are driven home tightly they cause the casting to pressagainst that part of the retainer or buffer strap I4 that is interposedbetween the face portion 9 and the front face of the picker stick I. Theface portion has a fairly large hole l5 and when pressure is applied, aportion l6 (Fig. 3) of the retainer strap bulges into the hole, therebyforming a key which aids in keeping said strap from slipping.

The remaining portion of the strap l4 that extends above the holder 5 isprovided with a T- head H. The lug strap 3 is fitted between the T-headand the two arms 8 and it is here that the lug strap is held.

It will be noticed that the top of the casting 6, more specifically thetops on the arms 8, is arched at Hi. This arch provides a better bearingfor the lug strap 3 than if the casting were made otherwise. The lugstrap is attached loosely to the picker stick and at times it will rideupon the casting 6, being substantially confined to its bearing at [8 bythe T-head IT. It is for this purpose that the casting is clamped on tothe picker stick below the lug strap. The casting therefore provides anenduring support for the lug strap.

By virtue of the fact that the picker stick does not need any holes forthe attachment of the improved holder 5, splitting from this particularsource of weakening is eliminated. The application of the clamp casting6 below the center of the gravity of the picker stick and below the lugstrap 3 respectively improves the balance of the picker stick andprovides a good bearing for the lug strap. The provision of the hole l5,although of utmost simplicity, insures the unfailing retention of thebuffer strap l4 because of the bulge I6 that is raised when pressure isapplied.

I claim:

1. In a picker stick, a lug strap holder comprising a clamp whichconsists of a face portion that comes adjacent to the front face of thepicker stick and has arms that fit against two sides of the pickerstick, said clamp including a saddle that fits against the fourth sideof the picker stick and has a U-clip extending from the saddle throughthe face portion where it carries securing nuts, a buffer strap of whicha part is interposed between the said face portion of the clamp and thefront face of the picker stick, the remaining part of the buffer straphaving a T-head, and means by which to hold the bufier strap fromslipping in addition to the pressure exerted thereagainst by the faceportion when said nuts are tightened.

2. In a picker stick, a lug strap holder comprising a forked clamp whichis fitted upon the picker stick, said clamp having a hole in its faceportion, a buffer strap of which a part is interposed between the faceportion of the clamp and the adjacent face of the picker stick, andmeans going around the picker stick and through the clamp, drawing theclamp tightly against the buffer strap so that a portion of said strapis made to bulge into the hole thereby forming a key which aids inkeeping said strap from slipping.

HEYWARD SHEALY.

